ARCHIVE FOR: September 1st, 2007
Welcome to The Greenskeeper Online. Each issue of our turfgrass industry e-newsletter will feature a timely scientific article; tall-but-true tales from out on the water; and the occasional industry specific member profile, survey, tip or contest.
This site offers the full versions of abbreviated articles from our mailings, as well as the place to come to access archived issues. In either case, our intention is to create an informative publication for professional turf managers that is also enjoyable to read.
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Rebecca and Team Turf
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September 1st, 2007
by Dr. Charles H. Peacock
NC State University
Despite the miserably extreme summer temperatures this year, after Labor Day there will be a change in the climate and thoughts will turn to fall overseeding especially for golf course fairways. This practice has been routine for almost 50 years in the southern US, but it always seems to have controversy. If overseeding is an option that is chosen for whatever reason, there are some considerations that should be made.
Bermudagrass usually stops growing and turns brown after the first hard frost. It remains dormant until temperatures consistently reach 60 F next spring. Overseeding provides color, uniform surface conditions, and wear tolerance. While the overseeding process is usually conducted in mid to late fall, preparing bermudagrass for overseeding is a year-long process. Bermudagrass must be healthy to withstand the harsh cultural practices and turf competition associated with overseeding.
Seeding Date
Successful overseeding can be done two to three weeks before the expected first frost date or when the soil temperature declines to 75 F. Overseeding in the Raleigh area is usually done between September 15 and October 1. Western and northwestern areas of the piedmont may be seeded one to two weeks earlier, whereas the south central and southeastern areas of North Carolina may be seeded one to two weeks later.
Overseeding Preparations
Close mowing just before overseeding is essential. Hybrid bermudagrasses should be thinned using a dethatching mower, and clippings and thatch should be removed with a sweeper. It may be possible to skip the dethatching process with common bermudagrass. Any coring should have been completed several weeks in advance and the cores dispersed by dragging. This prevents spotty germination.
Postseeding Care
Irrigation two to three times daily until the seedlings begin to emerge is critical. If water restrictions prohibit this, then whether to try overseeding at all should be questioned. Irrigate just enough to moisten the surface while preventing lateral movement of the seed. As seedlings emerge, reduce irrigation frequency to daily, and eventually irrigate only as needed. Begin mowing the grass at a height of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Weekly mowing is often sufficient in late fall and winter, but mowing twice a week is the spring norm.
Fertilization
Do not fertilize with nitrogen during the initial time of overseeding because this may encourage the bermudagrass to compete with the young plants. Adequate levels of phosphorus and potassium should be maintained for good plant rooting. A soil test in the summer should have been done to determine if additional starter fertilizer is required. If not, applying these at the time of fertilization can help in the establishment process. Using a 0-10-20 at 1.0 pound of potassium per 1000 square feet (44 pounds per acre) can be beneficial. Begin to use nitrogen fertilizer shortly after shoot emergence and continue until cold weather halts the overseeding growth. This normally requires the application of 1/4 to 1/2 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet every two or three weeks, or 1 pound of controlled-release nitrogen per thousand square feet every four to six weeks.
September 1st, 2007
TurfNET magazine reveiwed 40 top turfgrass undergraduate programs in the nation, and The Wolfpack took home top honors. Visit the Crop Science Department website to read the article and learn more about this premier program’s on-going studies.
September 1st, 2007
Throughout the history of golf, the ball mark repair tool has made its place into the golfer’s repertoire of necessary game equipment. Not much to them a first glance. They are inexpensive, popular as gifts and some courses actually give them away for free. Unfortunately, just because it has made its way into the golf bag does mean that all golfers use this tool religiously.
The average golfer does not realize that unrepaired ball marks take two to three weeks to properly heal, leaving behind unsightly, uneven putting surfaces. On the other hand, a repaired ball mark only takes half that time to heal.
A true aficionado of the game will fix his and others ball marks while his partner is putting. As industry professionals, how do we drive this point home to players? A simple demonstration sign in the staging area or lavatories can increase impact to your players so that everyone can enjoy turf uniformity.
Golf courses with a lot of play can benefit even more from this simple practice. Imagine if you could reach only 10% more players. Surely that would that offset the cost of a simple description placed in a highly visible yet discrete wall. Think about it… that would be a significant number.
With this approach, you are educating your players, reducing your workload, and enhancing your course’s appearance and playability, all with a simple task.
Ball marks on your greens can often be repaired better simply by providing a tool that is less likely to damage the turf’s root structure. Read about the shift in thinking when it comes to ball mark repair, and view some of the new products available by visiting these websites: GreenFixGolf.com MarkMender.com PitchProGolf.com
Got a Great Insight of Your Own?
Ideas for this area could come from anywhere, so we wanted to ask each of you for suggestions. Send us an unconventional technique golf courses could utilize to make players’ experiences better, and maybe we’ll print it our our next issue. Share your idea now.
September 1st, 2007